Narrative Writing Tells a StoryIt Can Be Fiction or Nonfiction

Fiction Types Realistic seem like people you know or meet

Fantastic characters are unusual not like real life characters have special powers or are personified

Types of Fictional Narratives

Short StoriesNovelsFolk Tales, Myths, and legendsDrama

Short Story

Novel

Elements of plot, characterization, setting, and theme developed in detail

Has plots and subplotsUsually not completed in one sitting

Myths, Legends, Folktales

Myths Story handed down through time Explains certain aspects of life and nature

Legends – Handed down through time Explain how or why something in nature was created Can be based on story in history Exaggerated details and characters

Folktales – Handed down from generation to generation Unusual characters and special abilities Teach a lesson

Drama

Piece of literature written to be performed

in front of an audience.

Fictional Narrative Elements

SettingCharactersPlotTheme

Point of View

Dialogue

Tone

Style

Motivation

Setting

Time and place where the events occur Includes traditions, rituals, and customs of a time

periodStated outright or must guess from words that tell

when, whereSpeech, clothing, or means of transportation,

details that appeal to the five senses, touch hearing sight smell taste

Characterization

Character is a person or animal in a story

Main characters Larger roles

Minor characters smaller roles

Characterization is the different ways an author tells readers about characters

Author tells reader directly how character looks, acts, thinks and feels

Author indirectly comments,through thoughts, and actions of the other characters

Plot

Arrangement of events in a work of literature

Contains a beginning, middle, and end

Contains a situation, can be :

A problem

Conflict

A mystery

Parts of a plot Exposition

Introduces character setting and conflict

Rising action

Builds the conflict and develops the characters

Climax

Highest point of the action,

Occurs at end of story

Resolution

Problem is solved

Loose ends are tied up

Theme

the author’s insight into life

Point of View

Author pretends to be someone else when writing the story

Sees through the eye of that person

TypesFirst person Author is character in the story

events Told through his/her own eyes, Use of I/ me pronouns

Third person Not the character in the story Looks through the eyes of one

or more characters Use of he/ she/ they pronouns

Dialogue

Conversation between two or more people

Exact words a character says

Set off in quotes

Makes story real, adds humor, excitement anticipation,or sadness to a story

Builds the characters in the eyes of the readers their feelings,background, and personality

Get the characters involved personally so that the actioncan flow

Tone

Writer’s attitude toward his/her subject matter Examples:

BitterAngrySad

Style

Author’s own distinctive way of writing Made up of

Word choice Sentence length and structure Figures of speech Tone

Motivation

Reason that explains or partially explains a character’s :

Thoughts FeelingsActionsDialogue

Literary Terms

• Figurative language

• Foreshadowing

• Personification

• Irony

• Symbol

Figurative Language

Language that appeal to the reader’s senses

Sight See it through he words

Hearing Bringing sounds alive

Smell Words that make reader’s

sense of smell come alive Taste

Negative or positive taste experiences

Touch Make reader experience what

something feels like

Metaphor One object is compared to

another, unlike object Indicates that the two have

something in common, like is not used

The more familiar thing helps describe the less familiar one

Simile Comparison to two objects

using like or as

Foreshadowing

Clues or hints given by author about future plot events

Subtle, not usually picked up first time through

Personification

Human qualities are given to places,objects, Animals, or ideas

Used to create mood

Irony (of Situation)

The outcome is opposite not just different from what one would usually or reasonably expect

Example: win lottery can be negative

Symbol

Something in the story that has a meaning beyond what it actually is (object, design, color etc.)

Example: American Flag